So, whether you like to devour yours in front of Wimbledon (or indeed at the All England Lawn Tennis grounds themselves) or, simply, you like them to round off al fresco repasts on balmy evenings, here’s how to make the very most of strawberry season.
Best Varieties
If you are growing strawberries, now is the time (May/June) for your young plants to head outside. Whether you are buying already established varieties at garden centres or you’re simply buying them to eat from farmers’ markets, these are the sweetest varieties to look for. No need for added sugar here.
Royal Sovereign
Royal Sovereign is a heritage strawberry that dates back to 1892 when it was first introduced by Laxtons Nursery. Today, they still beat the competition in terms of flavour, which is sweeter and somehow old-fashioned – in a good way.
Albion
Semi-evergreen, this variety crops as early as late May and can go on all the way until September. Arrestingly bright and conical in shape, they are noted for their particular sweetness.
Cambridge Favourite
Orange-red in hue, Cambridge Favourites are amongst the most popular type of strawberries with gardeners, as they crop reliably and are disease resistant. They taste excellent too.
Best Organic Creams
We are delighted to eat our sweet fresh strawberries unadorned. But if we are feeling traditional, there is no denying how winning a combination strawberries and cream is. Classic, in fact.
Hollis Mead Dairy’s Organic Cream
From one hundred per cent pasture-fed cows, this organic cream is thick, luxurious and naturally yellow. Available at various retailers (type in your postcode to find your nearest) and at several London farmers’ markets.
Riverford’s Organic Double Cream
Rich, silky and indulgent, this is a great cream for pouring or whipping. Ergo, strawberries sorted.
Legges of Bromyard’s Grass-Fed Double Cream
This Shropshire grass-fed cream is noticeably thicker than its supermarket equivalent, as well as being naturally sweet. Produced at Mawley Farm Town Farm in South Shropshire where cows graze on the countryside, it is all natural and naturally good.
Best Bowls For Strawberries & Cream
Frankly, we’d eat ours out of any old container, such is our devotion to the in-season strawberry. But these lovely bowls would undeniably look very fine filled with the fleshy red delights and lashings of the aforementioned cream.
Best Strawberry Recipes
If you have eaten your three kilos-worth of strawberries au naturel and find yourself looking for new ways to consume these sweet summer fruits, look no further.
Watercress & Strawberry Salad
Country Living
Salads that feature fruit are always a summer favourite. This one is a knock-out, pairing the sweet juices of the strawbs (further brought out by the honey) with the peppery bite of the watercress and the salt tang of the cheese. The perfect balance. Find the recipe here.
Filo Pastry With Strawberries, Rosewater and Cardomom Cream
Olive Magazine
Strawberries make a natural summertime pudding. But if you want to up your game, try out this showstopper. First dreamt up at Morito, Hackney, it is delicate, flavoursome and sweetly perfumed. Perfect summer dinner party fare, right there. Find the recipe here.
Strawberry Daiquiri
Delish
When the hot weather really hits, there is nothing so refreshing as a strawberry daiquiri. Frosty and rum-soaked, this is a truly heady way to enjoy the bounty of the season. Find the recipe here.
